Jaipur IPA at 19
Today according to quite a few tweets from Thornbridge marks the 19th birthday of Jaipur IPA
It remains a craft flagship beer that has crossed over into the mainstream in can and bottle format. I’ve seen it piled high in Lidl from time to time which is a useful benchmark for that.
It is however still available in cask and keg as well. I certainly can’t claim to have been aware of it or had a pint of it until 2010/11 probably at the Jolly Butchers in Stoke Newington or the Euston Tap.
Its 5.9% strength seemed strong at the time (it still is) although in a world where 6%plus beers are easy to find it might be argued the world has moved on.
That would be wrong because Thornbridge is still innovating and building the brand
Thornbridge have produced variants a DDH version and a 10% Jaipur X and in the last few weeks a Jaipur Black and a Jaipur (Burton) Union both cask beers
The original remains a distinctive addition to the list of great British beers. Proof that tradition can develop in a modern day context not just be something for the history books.
I do like the White Swan, or whatever its called. I’ve seen a few fisticuffs from folk on Jaipur. Too much at a wake. Lol. However I went right off them when I found the Co founder was married to that woman who was the tories families tsar, or some such nonsense